TechCrunch Disrupt Selects London as Host City for 2014 Event

Event to Take Place in Old Billingsgate 18-21 October

TechCrunch Disrupt Europe

March 10, 2014 09:18 AM Eastern Daylight Time

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TechCrunch announced today that the second TechCrunch Disrupt Europe
will take place from 18-21st October 2014 at Old Billingsgate
in East London. One of the leading global tech media franchises,
TechCrunch Disrupt hosts events from San Francisco and New York to
Berlin and Beijing.

TechCrunch Disrupt brings world-renowned speakers, who have included
Soundcloud founder and CEO, Alex Ljung, chairman and CEO of
salesforce.com, Marc Benioff, CEO of twitter, Dick Costolo, CEO and
President of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer and Founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark
Zuckerberg, as well as hundreds of outstanding start-ups to audiences
globally, making it one of the most anticipated technology conferences
of the year.

The London conference kicks off with the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon
from 18th to 19th October, followed by two days of
on stage interviews and panels with some of the biggest names in
technology. The speakers will give attendees advice, invaluable insight
and first-hand knowledge on what it takes to build an industry-leading
company. In addition, TechCrunch Disrupt will also welcome Startup
Battlefield and Startup
Alley to London.

Startup Battlefield competitors pitch to teams of judges, who include
some of the startup world’s foremost investors, innovators and
influencers in the tech community. TechCrunch identifies emerging
companies to demo and compete for a prize of £30,000 and the coveted
Disrupt Cup. The 350 companies who have participated in the Battlefield
have raised $2.4 billion in funding post appearing in Battlefield.
Battlefield is the most effective event-based launch platform for
startups in the word. Last year Lock8, the London and Berlin-based
startup behind the world’s first smart bike lock, was the worthy winner
and other previous Battlefield competitions have launched companies such
as Dropbox, Mint.com, Yammer and Fitbit, which are now heavyweights in
the global tech industry. Companies
can apply to enter Startup Battlefield now here.

Startup Alley offers another way for early-stage companies to gain
exposure with a format that encourages both exhibiting and networking,
as well as high visibility. Roughly 150 startups make up Startup Alley
with companies showcasing on the Monday and Tuesday of the event. Startups
can apply for a space at Startup Alley here.

London enjoys a formidable reputation as a fast-growing startup
ecosystem, boasting high growth rates and job growth in the startup
sector as well as 18 startup accelerators. Between 2012 and 2013, more
than 15,000 startups were established in the capital and, according to
the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, the combined average five-year growth
rate for tech startups in London is 1,382%. Startups are a key source of
job creation in London too, with 27% of all new jobs coming from the
tech and digital sectors in 2012, according to Tech City.

Susan Lyne, AOL Brand Group Global CEO, said: "As TechCrunch continues
to expand its coverage and its event presence globally, we feel London
is the perfect destination for the second TechCrunch Europe Disrupt.”

Mike Butcher, Editor At Large of TechCrunch, said: “TechCrunch Disrupt
Europe is a natural event for international technology companies to
congregate around. So it makes enormous sense to bring the event to
London at this time, given that the city has become the home of choice
for companies looking to go global. And with huge tech, media, finance
and entertainment sectors, London is San Francisco, New York and Los
Angeles rolled into one, so there are special advantages to bringing
Disrupt to the UK's capital."

Gerard Grech, Tech City UK CEO: “I’m delighted that TechCrunch has
chosen London as the host city for October’s Disrupt. Over the past few
years London has built its technology credentials to offer entrepreneurs
a world-leading environment to start and grow a digital business. All
across London and the UK, creative tech and innovation is disrupting and
reimagining sectors as diverse as finance and fashion. I am looking
forward to welcoming to London the scores of speakers and startups that
Disrupt brings together.”

TechCrunch Disrupt Europe 2014 is TechCrunch’s second conference in
Europe, taking place in London. The format combines top thought-leader
discussions with new product and company launches. Morning executive
discussions debate technology-driven disruptions in many industries,
while the afternoons are reserved for the Startup Battlefield, where 15
new companies will launch for the first time on stage. TechCrunch
Disrupt will take place at Old Billingsgate Market, 1 Old
Billingsgate Walk, EC3R 6DX from October 18-21.

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